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A Winter "Salade Composee" – A Big Bowl Of Sunshine.

Winter Salad


I hope you all had a wonderful times during the holidays. Like most of you I always feel blessed, loved, grateful, refreshed, relaxed but I also caught myself wishing for a little spring in my step the other morning. Beside the rich(er) foods, we also did indulge a bit more in lounging on the sofa late a night. And you know how that goes: the cozier you get, the cozier you want to stay, Unfortunately it’s not conducive to getting things done. But dang, aren’t holidays nice?

I like when holidays are short and sweet like this. I like working a lot more than I like lounging around (for now) so when I need to raise my mental and physical ressources I tend to pile tons of colors and clean, fresh foods on one plate. Dinners revolve around a big pot of soup and lunches are most often a big "Salade Composee" (composed salad) of some of my favorite vegetables. Roasted golden beets, fennel, radish, savoy salad, mixed greens. I admit that I have never met a vegetable I did not like and I love to build salads and meals by color.

Fresh!


I don’t live with a picky eater, on the contrary, B. is alright with trying just about anything. Unless it’s beets. Just say the word beets and I get the face, the swinging head, the tapping feet, the clenched fists…Ok, maybe not this bad but beets are definitely ground for heated discussions. So what is a stubborn Taurean like me to do when faced with a stubborn Leo? Yes, get golden beets instead of red and roast them instead of pickling them. And cross all fingers hoping he’ll like them while not revealing my secret vegetable.

I tried to sit as normal as I could, and eat at my normal (fast) pace but really I was carefully looking at his fork aiming for the beets, missing them, diving in, missing them. Come on man! Finally it happened. He ate a beet. A roasted golden beet. And he liked it. But I had to promise to never do this again. Ahahah!

I tend to stay with simple vinaigrettes but I do like to add toasted nuts or crumbled cheese. This time I went with dried cranberries and a little bit of feta for a complete "salad as a meal" idea. There are no strict rules for the vegetables or greens to use, add-ins and extras like nuts or fruits. Add a couple of bread slices or some gluten free polenta croutons one day and you have everything covered. Use what you enjoy and what makes you feel happy to eat and share.

Simple Vinaigrette


Besides, getting refreshed after the holidays, this type of meal is ideal to prepare for a two day marathon of sweet samplings like the one I am about to undertake. All in the name of research of course. I am completely psyched to be a keynote speaker in an event called Sugar Coma. Shameeka from The Broke Socialite is the mastermind behind this event dedicated to sampling the best of Atlanta’s sweet spots and you can bet that I jumped "yes" when she asked me to contribute to the event!

If that wasn’t good enough already, my pal Tami asked if I’d be interested in teaching a macaron workshop at some point during my stay as she knew quite a few people, bloggers and non bloggers who wanted to learn how to make them. As the super efficient girl that she is, she had a dozen people signed up in less than 24 hours. Add another sweet surprise to the mix: Bakerella herself is taking the class/workshop! I am currently coming up with little surprises of my own and swag bags to give out to all the attendees.

Winter Salad


B. thinks I am having way too much fun planning this whole trip. Yep! The macaron workshop is full but registration for Sugar Coma is now live!. If you are in Atlanta or surroundings, I hope you will come join us for one fun day of bakery touring in the city! Sweet surprises guaranteed!

Salade Composee:

Serves 2 hungry people

For the salad:
4 golden beets
1 large handful mixed greens
1 large handful savoy salad
1 bunch radishes, washed, stems cut off and quartered
1/2 fennel bulb, washed and sliced thin
1 small handful of Italian parsley
dried cranberries
feta

Preheat oven to 350F. Wash the beets and cut the stems off. Place them in a piece of foil and close it tight. Roast the beets for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and carefully open the foil packet. Peel the beets and set aside.
With your hands, tear the salads and parsley in small pieces and divide all the vegetables evenly among 2 large plates. Top with the some dried cranberries and some feta. Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

For the vinaigrette:
Check David’s post on how the French like and make their vinaigrette. I nod in complete approval.
This time I used some pink salt (the bits of broken rocks are salt crystals), freshly ground mixed peppercorns and garlic instead of shallots.

Le p’tit coin en francais:

Pour la salade:
4 moyennes betterave orange
1 belle poignee de salade melangee
1 belle poignee de salade chou rouge (ou equivalent colore)
1 petit bouquet de radis, lave et coupes en quatre
1/2 fenouil, lave et coupe en tranches fines
1 petite poignee de persil plat
cranberries seches (ou autres fruits secs)
feta, en morceaux (ou chevre, feta salata, etc…)

Prechauffez le four a 350F/175C. Mettez les betteraves dans un morceau de papier d’alu et les faire cuire 20-30 minutes. Laissez le paquet refroidir avant de l’ouvrir. Epluchez les betteraves et coupez les en quatres.
Partagez les salades et legumes dans deux grandes assiettes et ajoutez les cranberries seches et le fromage. Ajoutez quelques cuillieres de vinaigrette suivant votre gout.

Vinaigrette moutarde – echalotte. Traduit de David Lebovitz:
une pincee de sel
une cuilliere a soupe de vinaigre
1/2 echalotte, pelee et emincee
1/2 cuilliere a cafe de moutarde
3 a 4 cuillieres a soupe d’huile d’olive

Dans un petit bol, melangez le sel, vinaigre et echalotte et laissez reposer 10 minutes. Ajoutez la moutarde et ensuite 3 cuilleres a soupe d’huile et melangez bien. Si la vinaigrette est trop forte, ajouter de l’huile.
Si vous desirez ajouter des herbes, faites le au dernier moment pour qu’elles restent aussi fraiches que possible.

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Comments


Rosanna Guillem January 5, 2010 um 8:50 am

such an exciting salad with these colors! Lovely pictures. The salad must be an explosion of flavours in mouth. I have to try it.
Rosanna, from cosasconencanto.blogspot.com


Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul January 5, 2010 um 9:34 am

I hear you about over indulging during the holidays. Time for a detox! Love the colours in your salad Helen…very uplifting and healthy too!


Julia @Mélanger January 5, 2010 um 9:35 am

Helen, I so wish I was in the area to take your workshop. Would be so much fun.

I will just have to satisfy myself with your lovely recipes and photographs. And boy are the colours in these beauties just amazing. They pop. Fantastic, as always!


Jessica @ How Sweet January 5, 2010 um 11:48 am

Gorgeous colors in this salad!


Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) January 5, 2010 um 12:53 pm

These photos are brightening up a very grey Rhode Island morning. Winter salads, in most parts of the country, are such a challenge. Thank goodness for root vegetables and their natural sweetness.


Reni January 5, 2010 um 1:18 pm

Beautiful salad ! Just like u, I love colors in my salad. I usually mix in some fruit for color (apple, mango, citrus, kiwi, grape, papaya, dragon fruit, whatever is available), some greens, crumbled or bits of cheese and crouton drizzled with italian dressings. Perfect meal !


MmmCheese January 5, 2010 um 1:26 pm

I also had a big salad with French mustard vinaigrette to start out the new year. I brought back all these amazing flavored Maille jars, adding oil & vinegar to the jars themselves when they're almost done with a bunch of aromatics makes for a tasty week of salad dressing!


Anonymous January 5, 2010 um 1:29 pm

Your post has me wanting to race to the market. Perhaps the cliche "eye candy" should be replaced with "eye veggies". 🙂


[email protected] January 5, 2010 um 1:40 pm

Helen, this is a great post. The pictures are beautiful and fresh; for a few seconds, I thought you had moved to a warmer place (like California!). The story of B. eating his beets made me smile. I have been raised on home-grown beets and I serve them to my children at least once a week… so I can never understand how some people don't like beets. Color-tricking, that's the way to go!
Good luck on your sweets events. I wish I could attend too. Macarons are one of my favorite desserts and I have yet to make some good ones!


Tina January 5, 2010 um 3:02 pm

Bring on the detox for sure! The salad looks amazing. I am ready for more fruits and veggies.. after a ham one day and a prime rib the next, I am on protein overload. This is a lovely fix.


colorchic January 5, 2010 um 3:14 pm

Love everything you put into this salad… So colorful and beautiful! Who needs chocolate when you can have Color and Texture… Sweet! Thanks for inspiration!


Cookie baker Lynn January 5, 2010 um 3:37 pm

Gorgeous salad! It's a masterpiece of a meal. I so wish I was in Atlanta to attend your class!! Have a grand time!


Katie @ goodLife {eats} January 5, 2010 um 4:03 pm

I love all the lounging of the holidays. It's been a while since I could sink into the couch and get lost in a book, and I so needed that. I've never tried golden beets, so I'm bookmarking this to try out. It looks beautiful!


Kalyn Denny January 5, 2010 um 4:14 pm

Your salad is beautiful, just like all your food! Love the recipes in French too (although what French I remember from high school is very little, I'm always hoping to re-learn some!)


Sandy Smith January 5, 2010 um 4:16 pm

So beautiful ~ and satisfying on many levels, too! Thanks for sharing this!


Engineer Baker January 5, 2010 um 4:24 pm

I love pickled beets (or beets in any preparation), so B gets no sympathy from me! 😛 The colors of this salad make me happy, especially on dull, grey, wintry days like this one. Oh, and all this Sugar Coma hubbub is making me wish November was coming just a little bit sooner 🙂


bellibabies January 5, 2010 um 7:27 pm

I have always loved your bright light pics but I am loving the diversity of your new dark rich shots. Thank you for such beautiful inspirational recipes and images, i always look forward to your posts…… from the sunny caribbean….mj


pigpigscorner January 5, 2010 um 9:13 pm

Another beautiful creation! It's so colourful!


Vanillaorchid January 5, 2010 um 9:56 pm

I love your salad…it's very beautiful.


Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home January 6, 2010 um 12:01 am

I too am a stubborn Leo, but you would have no problem getting me to eat this beautiful salad! Happy new year 🙂


Beth January 6, 2010 um 12:40 am

What beautifully bright and fresh pictures. Looks scrumptious!


Nate @ House of Annie January 6, 2010 um 12:59 am

Our kids love beets, but that's probably because we roast or steam the fresh ones rather than try to give them anything out of a can.

Lovely post!


hannah queen | honey & jam January 6, 2010 um 1:12 am

Mmmm, this looks so good!


Helene January 6, 2010 um 1:16 am

Michele: from looking at the archives, i'd say it's pretty much 50/50.

Nate: he had fresh beets too as a kid which is what started his aversion. That was re-inforced later with canned beets.

Thanks everyone!


Georgia Pellegrini January 6, 2010 um 1:27 am

It's true! Color on a plate always makes people a little more stimulated when they eat. The food tastes better to them.


lilmissfoodie January 6, 2010 um 1:27 am

is the sugar coma link live? i can't seem to click through! it just brings me back to the same page. 🙁


Mimi January 6, 2010 um 1:33 am

It funny I don't equate salad with summer any longer, but with winter when I get overdosed on heavy comfort food, I make a refreshing salad to bring me back to sanity.
This looks like just the ticket.
Mimi


Dawn (KitchenTravels) January 6, 2010 um 5:27 am

Oh, dear. I so wish I lived closer to Atlanta, just so I could attend the macaron workshop! They are on my list of most-feared and also most-desired things to bake. 🙂 Have fun!


Helene January 6, 2010 um 6:28 am

lil miss dissertation: links are all fixed and updated now.

Thanks everyone!


Andrea January 6, 2010 um 6:30 am

Wow! You do savories just as perfectly as you do sweets. I am amazed. Both the salad and still life pictures are absolutely wonderful!
Is there a way to purchase the second picture, the one with the beets? I'd love to have this in the kitchen!


kellypea January 6, 2010 um 7:30 am

You only have to wave a bowl of salad under my nose to get me to bite. I love the brilliant colors and the promise of all that flavor. Nice!


cedar chest January 6, 2010 um 8:50 am

The salad is so colorful! It makes me want to eat lot even of I am not really a fan. Looks good.


Marina January 6, 2010 um 3:53 pm

des couleurs fabuleuses et des photos magnifiques ! Ton blog est splendide ! Bravo.
Marina


Helene January 6, 2010 um 4:31 pm

Andrea: Thank you! The picture can be purchased as an 8×12 in my etsy shop (link in navigation bar).


Rachelino January 6, 2010 um 7:31 pm

Gorgeous color, light and balance. wonderfully composed!
I am fgrateful for this post to remind me to mince shallot for my vinaigrette! And to roast something for the top of my winter salad.
Have fun in Atlanta, and hope it is not humid!


Cannelle Et Vanille January 6, 2010 um 7:32 pm

Love everything about this. So colorful.


megyy January 6, 2010 um 8:10 pm

I just discover your blog and I love it! Everything looks so delicious. And photos are beautiful. Your desserts looks like little works of art. This salad looks yummy too 🙂


Cherie January 6, 2010 um 10:14 pm

You're not planning on going healthy on us this year, are you? I kid, I kid:) Great salad!


Rambling Tart January 7, 2010 um 12:07 am

Ohhh, this is unbelievably pretty! Love it! 🙂


Lori January 7, 2010 um 1:46 am

My husband is very easy going as well, except when it comes to beets. He does, however, now like my "beet pasta" and my beet bread. I puree it and incorporate it into the doughs. My kids eat it too because it is pink. They all hate beets in their purest form. I love 'em!


Unknown January 7, 2010 um 4:25 am

aaahh..a salad post is perfect to follow a pear and milk chocolate mousee cake post. it is very dangerous for me to read your blog bc I'm pregnant:)

you're so inspiring. I love this place.


malizea January 7, 2010 um 3:10 pm

Merci beaucoup pour la version française c géniale!!!


Simones Kitchen January 7, 2010 um 7:19 pm

Aha so that is how you manage to feed your guy something he doesn't like… lol… I wonder if I can somehow do that trick with cheese… not so easy I guess. Love the salad!


James B January 7, 2010 um 7:42 pm

That salad is full of colour – amazing! I always like making salads with roasted veg in – carrots, parsnips, beetroot and squashes.


Beth January 7, 2010 um 9:48 pm

Looks beautiful, bright and fresh!


Megan Gordon January 8, 2010 um 5:14 am

Oh boy…this looks so lovely and light, especially after the heavy holiday food so many of us have been eating. I've recently taken quite a liking to radishes and have been adding them to salads or just eating them with a bit of butter on bread. Can't wait to try this. Stunning photos!


my little expat kitchen January 8, 2010 um 11:58 am

These are such wonderful photographs. I love salads and this one looks terrific! So fresh and healthy.
Magda


farmerpam January 8, 2010 um 3:45 pm

Sunshine in a bowl! That's just what I thought when I spied the display of meyer lemons. Had never heard of them until I came across your blog….a lemon's a lemon, right? Thank's for enlightening me, who would have thought i'd ever find them in these snow buried northeast mountains. Such a treat. Love your blog, love your recipes…..drifted this way via jen/URB. You ladies do it up right! farmerpam


jenious January 8, 2010 um 3:56 pm

Congrats on Sugar Coma and the workshop—seems a fine start to the New Year. Gorgeous photographs!


Table Talk January 8, 2010 um 5:53 pm

To say this salad is colorful is an understatement; it's bursting with all kinds of color, texture, and flavors.
So pretty!


Kate @ Savour Fare January 8, 2010 um 5:57 pm

That's just BEAUTIFUL. Seriously, I just want to gaze and gaze at those photographs. And post more recipes in French! I love testing my high school French (still pretty good, but unsurprising, since the subject of food was always my strength.)


carolina @ patagonia gifts January 8, 2010 um 7:54 pm

omg! this salad looks so delish and cheery! I will have to do it today! hope you have a wonderful weekend, darling! xo


A cupcake or two January 9, 2010 um 12:07 pm

What a beautiful looking salad. Almost to beautiful to eat. Its hard to believe that something so visually appealing is also good for you.


Aparna Balasubramanian January 9, 2010 um 4:59 pm

If I had been anywhere near there, I would be at that workshop.

Best wishes for the New Year, Helen.


Alex January 10, 2010 um 11:51 am

Wonderful colors! Beautiful!

Alex


Lisa | Authentic Suburban Gourmet January 10, 2010 um 11:48 pm

AMAZING colors! Bright, beautiful and bold. A must try.


Jasmine January 11, 2010 um 1:31 am

Your photos are so inspirational and make me want to improve in both cooking and photography. This salad looks fantastic!

Thank you for sharing all of your fabulous recipes! I too wish I could be attending your workshop, our trip to Paris left me with a craving for authentic macarons!


Jen Yu January 12, 2010 um 5:01 pm

I'm in love with those colors. The salad, like everything else you make, is too beautiful to eat. But of course, if presented with anything YOU made, I'd be a fool not to eat it (and enjoy it!) 🙂 Very psyched for your new adventures. I suggest after the Sugar Coma tour, you also lead the participants on an Ass Reduction Plan run around the city 😉 hee hee! Then they'll discover why you're such a skinny rail! xoxo


Margaret January 13, 2010 um 4:25 pm

Have you ever thought of creating a calender with your photos? I am always looking for a fabulous kitchen/food calender and have become more and more disappointed as each year passes by. Your photos are gorgeous and would make FABULOUS monthly calender photos!


molly January 14, 2010 um 8:36 pm

This is just EXACTLY what we're eating right now, lots of sweet citrus and veg, tossed with strong greens, sprinkled throughout with personality cheese and well toasted nuts. Nothing tastes better in January. Beautiful spread. Molly


Moody Food Reviews January 18, 2010 um 3:03 pm

I love your site and your photos are beautiful! wish I could take your class too!


pastry studio January 24, 2010 um 1:49 pm

I am an absolute freak for salads and this one is especially beautiful. LOVE your composition here in all these photos. So excited to hear you're teaching!


Dana January 24, 2010 um 10:09 pm

I am married to a beet hater too! I have tried to woo him with golden beets but he doesn't like those either. Recently I made a pasta salad that had a few of the golden ones in it and he LOVED the salad. Afterward I told him the reason he liked it so much was because of the beets. He wasn't amused. Anyway, this salad is a vision of loveliness. I could eat that every day.


ro March 3, 2010 um 4:16 pm

Oh, my gosh!!! your pictures, so delicate, lovely! the colours, the composition… i reallly really love them!! how do u do it? i know u must have a really good camera, and lights… u use filters too? but i can see that u have nice skills too 🙂
love it!


Stephanie Quilao December 5, 2010 um 7:03 pm

YUMMY! I had a similar salad like this recently with golden beets over arugula. I love golden beets! Gotta try fennel now 🙂


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